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Insects

 

A common sign you have insects eating your plants is the appearance of holes with jagged edges. Some insects can cause tan spots, discoloration, distortion, and stippling of the leaves. Holes in the bark and/or stems is a typical sign of borers. With insect issues, you may notice the presence of insects (dead or alive), frass, and/or molts. Many insects have a select diet and will go after one certain group of plants (e.g., imported cabbage worms eat Brassicas), but this is not always the case (e.g., Japanese beetles go after a large range). 

 

We have divided common insects into three sections:  

True pest (high impact) 

These insects have the capability to cause plant death. Typically these pests will cause significant damage to a plant and sometimes may not be worth fighting (e.g., Emerald ash borer) 

Nuisance pest (medium impact) 

While these insects can cause damage, it is typically not significant enough to cause plant death or serious damage. Control is still typically recommended in the sense of mechanical removal instead of any insecticides. 

Beneficial insects (low impact) 

The benefits these insects have on local ecosystems typically outweigh any damage done to plants, and some do not cause any plant damage at all.